Thomas Jefferson enshrined in this country’s civil religion the “pursuit of happiness” as an unalienable right. But if a medical practice’s staff is successful in that pursuit, does it translate into happy patients?

In a 2009 Harvard Business Review article, Rosa Chun, a professor of business ethics and corporate social responsibility, and Gary Davies, a professor of corporate reputation at Manchester Business School in the United Kingdom, wrote a brief article disputing the conventional wisdom that happy employees yield happy customers. Their study, they say, found no correlation between employee satisfaction and service. But others are skeptical—very skeptical.

Not surprisingly, those on both sides of the issue can point to research to support their position.

“There’s a long line of research that shows that being happy—to the extent that one takes care of personal needs only—doesn’t translate to good customer or patient care,” says Billie Blair, PhD, president/CE of Change Strategies, Inc., and the author of All The Moving Parts (Puzzles Press, 2007).

Over the last couple blogs, I have looked at pediatric facilities to consider design choices that enhance outcomes for young patients. Pediatric patient rooms and units likewise warrant unique design direction to accommodate children’s medical and emotional needs.

I was talking with Dennis Vonasek, AIA, who directs our Pediatric Design Services at HGA. We have worked on several pediatric units over the years.

He pointed out some key features in today’s pediatric patient rooms:

1. Family zones
The rooms are usually divided into three zones for staff, patients, and family. The family zones can include a simple sleeper chair to a pullout bed for a guardian’s overnight stay. In addition, an adult work area with a desk and Wi-Fi access enables parents to accomplish routine tasks without leaving the room. Flexible seating arrangement in expanded rooms should accommodate siblings, relatives, and young friends who may visit for longer stays.

Ever waited in your own waiting room? Ever sat in a crowded row of chairs against a bare white wall, leafing through a tattered magazine, before another long wait in a stark examination room? What impression does that experience leave on your patients? Do they care?

Answer: Yes. Studies show that patients do care about the medical office environment and that a pleasant waiting room can make all the difference in how they perceive your practice. Long a neglected stepchild of medical office design, the waiting room is receiving overdue attention. Increasingly, physicians recognize that the waiting room affects not only consumer perceptions, but also business efficiency and even health outcomes.

Until recently, physician practices had little motivation to focus on the waiting room; quality of care was the highest priority. However, today’s consumers expect more than just competency. Medical practitioners are beginning to act like retailers, which have long invested heavily in store design to influence consumer attitudes and behavior.

Superficial as it may sound, in today’s image-driven marketplace, patients are more likely than in the past to judge a physician’s abilities by the look of the waiting area. Dinged doors, dirty flooring, worn seating and dog-eared magazines can suggest that cleanliness is not important and a physician’s skills are not current—negative perceptions that can undermine patients’ trust.